The highway system in Vietnam is increasingly improved, shortening travel time between localities, creating favorable conditions for car travel. In addition, owning a personal car also helps tourists to be proactive in choosing a place to stay, planning tours and experiencing local cuisine more fully.
However, traveling by self-driving car also requires careful preparation of the journey, vehicle and health. Travelers need to ensure that the car is regularly maintained, fully equipped with necessary items and comply with traffic safety laws throughout the journey.
With the skyrocketing price of airline tickets this summer, many people have chosen to travel by private car as a reasonable and economical alternative.
Summer travel by self-driving car
Summer 2024 marked a memorable memory for Phuong Tu's family (tourists from Hanoi) with their first self-driving car trip. The 6-day journey took the whole family to explore the route from Hanoi to Cua Lo, Nghe An. On the way, the family spent time visiting Hue for a day and three days in Da Nang to admire the excitement of the Fireworks Festival.
Choosing to travel by car instead of plane due to the high ticket price, gives Phuong Tu's family a new experience. The whole family has freedom of time, proactively schedules and has the opportunity to bond more through beautiful roads. Sharing the reason for choosing to travel by self-driving car in the summer, Phuong Tu said that saving costs and being proactive with time are the two main factors that make her family choose this option. In addition, traveling by car also helps to have more interesting experiences on the journey and bond family members.
Summer 2024 marks a memorable anniversary for Phuong Tu's family (tourists from Hanoi) with their first self-driving car trip
“If we choose to fly, the cost for 6 people to travel round trip from Hanoi to Da Nang is about 30 million VND. In addition, there will be additional costs for transportation to and from the airport. Meanwhile, the cost of gasoline and ferry fees for a car trip is only about 5 million VND. In addition, we do not have to depend on the flight schedule, sometimes there are delays and waiting time at the airport. Our family can take the initiative in the time to go and return; stop along the way to visit, rest, eat and drink; have more experiences than by plane. In addition, at tourist destinations, we will not have to spend money on taxis, grabs…”, Phuong Tu shared.
Phuong Tu also suggests another itinerary for a car trip to the Central provinces. That is a 6-day journey to explore the route from Hanoi to Thien Cam, Ha Tinh. On the way, tourists spend time visiting Quang Binh for one day and Da Nang for three days.
Choosing to travel by car instead of plane due to high ticket prices, gives Phuong Tu's family a new and interesting experience.
Summer travel trends 2024
Domestic airfares in June and early July tended to decrease compared to the previous month, however this decrease was not significant and did not meet the expectations of many tourists.
According to records, round-trip airfare from Hanoi to Da Nang during the weekend (Friday to Monday) in July costs an average of more than 3 million VND for flights at bad times. Flights at good times cost nearly 5 million VND, some flights even cost up to 7 million VND. If you accept to fly at night both ways, you can save money with a price of about 2.2 million VND per person. However, flying at night can cause many inconveniences for travelers, especially families with children.
The summer travel trend of Northern tourists in 2024 has changed significantly compared to previous years, reflected in destinations and means of transportation.
In early July, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam requested airlines to add more aircraft and strictly control ticket prices, ensuring transparent ticket price listings and avoiding confusion for passengers. However, many experts in the tourism industry believe that night flights are not the optimal solution for tourists in the summer because additional costs for hotel rooms and transportation can increase the cost of the trip. Moreover, cheap night flights are often only suitable for those traveling alone or in couples, not meeting the needs of tourists traveling with families with children or the elderly.
Therefore, the summer travel trend of Northern tourists in 2024 has changed significantly compared to previous years, reflected in the destinations and means of transportation. Instead of traveling far to the Central and Southern provinces like every year, Northern tourists mainly choose closer destinations such as Da Nang. Private cars have also become the preferred means of transportation due to the high prices of air and train tickets.
Northern tourists mainly choose nearby destinations.
The main reason for these changes is the significant increase in the cost of family travel due to the price of air tickets. Sleeper train tickets also become scarce during the summer, making it difficult for tourists to travel.
Summer travel trends in 2024 show that Northern tourists are prioritizing cost-saving solutions for their summer vacation. Short-distance travel is becoming a new trend due to its convenience in travel and suitability to the budget. In addition, traveling by personal car brings an interesting and proactive experience to tourists.
Nearby travel is becoming a new trend due to its convenience in travel and suitability to budget.
The “Close to home” trend is also becoming a popular choice for summer travel in 2024, reflected in the trend of traveling by self-driving cars. This trend is expected to continue to grow in the coming years due to many factors such as rising costs and changing needs in travel habits.
However, self-driving travel also has limitations that need to be noted. Driving long distances, especially with families with children or people who get carsick, can make travelers feel tired. Self-driving cars can make people who are prone to carsickness feel uncomfortable, affecting the travel experience. If there is only one driver, long-distance travel can become dangerous and make the driver feel stressed. In addition, travelers with little time should not choose this form of travel because it requires a lot of time to travel.
The “Close to home” trend is also becoming a popular choice for summer travel in 2024, demonstrated by the trend of traveling by self-driving cars.
